CPI(M) worker’s killing: tension at Kallyasseri

Kallyasseri and nearby areas here remained tense following the murder of a Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker on Monday night by a group of suspected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers.

P.P. Manoj (23) was hacked to death at Komathuvayal at Kallyasseri 8 p.m. on January 17. He was sitting in a bus shelter along with his friends when the assailants who reached in a car hurled country-made bombs to scare away local people and stabbed him to death. His brother Mahesh (22) and friends Rakesh (26) and Rithin (21) were also injured in the attack. Parts of Kallyassery panchayat that had witnessed clashes between CPI(M) and BJP/RSS workers in recent weeks were tense following the killing of the CPI(M) worker.

In retaliatory attacks by alleged CPI(M) workers, six houses of BJP/RSS workers in the tension-hit area were destroyed. The police said that the house of P. Sunil, who was a suspect in the murder of the CPI(M) worker was set on fire. The house near Pazhanchira was completely destroyed. The houses of BJP workers P. Prasad and his brother at Pallikkara also came under attack. A vehicle parked on the compound of one of the houses was also destroyed. Bombs were hurled at the houses of local BJP workers Ramakrishnan Nambiar, R. Ramakrishnan and Premarajan, the police said.

The police said that the police registered a case against three suspects in connection with the murder. The police also conducted extensive raids in the area to nab the suspects. Large posse of police personnel were deployed in the area in view of the tension. Nearby Pappinissery was also gripped by tension following the killing.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) observed hartal in the area to protest against the murder of the party worker. The hartal was total. Vehicles were exempted from the hartal.